Role

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Conductor Performer

 

Algis Ziuraitis was a Lithuanian-American classical music artist who was born on August 22, 1932, in Kaunas, Lithuania. He was the son of a prominent Lithuanian composer and conductor, Juozas Naujalis, who was also a professor at the Lithuanian Academy of Music. Ziuraitis grew up in a musical family and began playing the piano at a young age. He showed great talent and passion for music, and his father recognized his potential early on. In 1944, when Ziuraitis was just 12 years old, his family fled Lithuania due to the Soviet occupation and settled in Germany. There, he continued his musical education and studied piano with renowned pianist and pedagogue, Walter Gieseking. Ziuraitis also studied composition with Paul Hindemith and conducting with Hermann Scherchen. In 1950, Ziuraitis and his family immigrated to the United States and settled in New York City. He continued his studies at the Juilliard School, where he studied piano with Rosina Lhévinne and composition with Vincent Persichetti. Ziuraitis also studied conducting with Leonard Bernstein and Pierre Monteux. Ziuraitis made his debut as a pianist in 1953, performing with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Dimitri Mitropoulos. He quickly gained recognition as a pianist and performed with many major orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Ziuraitis was known for his virtuosic technique and his ability to bring out the emotional depth of the music he played. In addition to his career as a pianist, Ziuraitis was also a respected conductor. He served as the music director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra from 1967 to 1977 and the Hartford Symphony Orchestra from 1977 to 1984. He also guest conducted many major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Ziuraitis was a champion of contemporary music and premiered many works by American composers, including Elliott Carter, Milton Babbitt, and Charles Wuorinen. He also recorded several albums of contemporary music, including works by Carter and Babbitt. Throughout his career, Ziuraitis received many awards and honors. In 1960, he was awarded the prestigious Naumburg Award for his piano playing. He was also a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. In 1982, he was awarded the Lithuanian National Prize for his contributions to Lithuanian culture. Ziuraitis was also a dedicated teacher and taught at several universities, including the University of Connecticut and the Hartt School of Music. He was known for his passionate and inspiring teaching style and his ability to bring out the best in his students. Ziuraitis continued to perform and conduct well into his later years. He passed away on December 31, 2012, at the age of 80. He left behind a legacy as a virtuoso pianist, a respected conductor, and a champion of contemporary music. His contributions to the world of classical music will be remembered for generations to come.

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